Fairy Tail: Eternal Brothers
by Elise Lowing
Summary: Life cannot be recreated; it can only be given. Life is born from love and love alone. Only the brotherly bonds of love can restore a life that has been lost. At last, Zeref realizes the way to save his dear younger brother. With his own life, he gives Natsu a second chance. In return, Natsu gives Zeref the greatest gift he could ever hope to ask for: forgiveness.


**I just can't help making predictions for Fairy Tail. Even if they don't happen in the actual manga, they at least exist somewhere in the world.**

 **This is a brother one-shot between Zeref and Natsu. It's a prediction about how Natsu could possibly live on, as well as being cleansed from his E.N.D. state. Zeref has to learn the true nature of life, and the bonds of brotherly love.**

 **Oh, if you really feel like crying, then I recommend that you listen to Fairy Tail soundtrack called "Eternal Friends". That's where the title comes from, and this story is going to be full of tears.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail or it's characters, I am merely exploring a possible story.**

 **Here we go!**

* * *

 **Eternal Brothers**

 _"Just do it! Hurry!"_

 _"No! Don't do this to me, Natsu!"_

 _"Please, Gray! I'm losing control!"_

 _"You can't give up, Natsu! There has to be a way!"_

 _"There's no time, Lucy! Gray, do it! Use your Magic and slay me!"_

 _"No! I won't be your executioner!"_

 _…_

 _"Okay, then I won't make you."_

 _"Natsu! What are you doing?! No! Stop!"_

* * *

It was too late.

Lucy's plea fell on deaf ears. Right before her eyes, she watched the most horrific thing she could've ever imagined.

Natsu, who was completely transformed into E.N.D., took up the blade of Gray's Ice Devil Slayer sword in his now-clawed hands, and pointed it at the center of his own abdomen. Gray tried his best to hold the sword back, but the strength of E.N.D. was greater than he could resist.

Natsu pulled the sword to himself.

"NATSU, NO!" Lucy screeched.

But it was too late.

Natsu drove the sword straight through his body. He grimaced and strained as the icy blade cut and pierced through several of his vital organs. Hot crimson blood quickly seeped out of the horrible wound.

Time stopped for everyone watching.

Zeref, beaten down and injured, but not dead, stared in shock and horror as he watched his younger brother run himself through. E.N.D. was suppose to have killed him before dying. But even during their fight, it became apparent that not even E.N.D. could kill the immortal, even when his companions all fought alongside him. The whole time, Natsu struggled to keep E.N.D. under control enough to just focus Zeref, but the Demon was too much to control. Soon, Natsu began attacking his own comrades.

With the last of his sanity, Natsu decided to take his own life before he could hurt his comrades anymore.

After Natsu stabbed himself, the Ice Devil Slayer sword began to melt. Slowly, the remains of it disappeared. Natsu panted for air for a second before coughing up blood.

Then, he collapsed to the ground.

"NATSU!" Lucy cried, scrambling to her feet and running over to the fallen Dragon Slayer.

Gray stood where he was, trembling. His hands and fingers shook, his breathing was ridged, and his expression was one of horrified shock. He couldn't move. It was like his own Magic had frozen him solid. All he could do was stare down at the sight before him.

Natsu continued to cough up blood, and his body convulsed as the shock of the pain set of a reaction in him. The wings on his back twitched every time a stab of agony went through him. The wound in his belly was deep, and blood, along with other bodily fluids, kept flowing out into a crimson puddle underneath him.

Lucy reached Natsu and immediately lifted his head, cradling him in her arms. At the same time, Happy ran over from his spot and desperately clutched at his partner's arm.

"Just hang on, Natsu!" Lucy said desperately.

"Natsu!" Happy pleaded, tears flowing down his face.

Natsu groaned and struggled to open his eyes. Weakly, he looked up at Lucy. The E.N.D. side of him stopped trying to take him over. That was enough.

This was the end of of him. He could at least say some last words to those that mattered most to him.

"L…Lucy." Natsu said, his voice frail and fading.

"What the hell were you thinking, Natsu?!" Lucy cried as her eyes became blurry with tears. "Why did you do that?!"

"You think I could live with myself…if I knew I killed everyone I cared about?" Natsu replied, struggling to breathe. "Besides, I was dead before. And…even if we defeated Zeref…I would die anyway."

With the remaining strength he had, Natsu forced himself to give his friends a smile. But it wasn't a lively smile. It was the smile of a dying man.

"But…at least…I was able to do some good." Natsu said. "That's comforting to know."

"C'mon, don't talk like that!" Lucy begged. "You're going to make it! We'll get Wendy! She'll heal you!"

Lucy moved her right hand over Natsu's wound in a desperate attempt to stop anymore blood from coming out of it. But it was of no use. All that did was cover her hand in a red, hot and sticky substance. No matter where she put it, or how hard she tried to squeeze the wound shut, it was all for nothing.

It was then she realized the extent of the injury. They wouldn't find Wendy in time to heal it. It was too severe.

Natsu lifted his left hand and clutching Lucy's with what remaining strength he had, making her stop and stare into his face.

"Lucy, it's okay," he said. "I don't have any regrets. I'm glad…I got to be part of Fairy Tail. Glad to meet everyone. And…glad I met you."

Lucy gritted her teeth as the tears in her eyes tried to force their way past her resistance. All these words being said through Natsu's wavering voice stabbed at her heart like a thousand daggers all at once. This was too painful to endure.

"Natsu," Happy whimpered, "please just try to hang on."

Natsu turned his head enough to look his Exceed partner. Happy's sadness showed through clearly. Natsu had been the first person he had ever seen since his birth. The two had always been together since then. Through all the good and bad times, they were always by each other side.

And now, Happy was watching his best friend dying right before his eyes. But what made all the more painful was that Natsu seemed to be at peace. He was suffering, but he was also at peace.

"C'mon, little buddy." Natsu said. "It'll be okay. You don't need to cry for me."

Natsu reached out his hand for Happy. The blue cat grabbed onto it and held it close to his face, sobbing into it like it was a handkerchief. He didn't even care if it was scaled and had large claws, it was still Natsu's hand to him.

"I'm just a weapon for destruction," Natsu continued. "You don't need to be sad."

"But we are sad!" Happy cried, knowing full well that the words of the Dragon Slayer were hollow. "We don't care if you're a human or Demon because no matter what anyone says, you're still our Natsu! We don't want to lose you! Don't tell us not to be sad, because how can we not be?!"

With loud sobs, Happy buried his face into Natsu's shoulder, letting his tears stream down his face. Natsu grimaced and hugged his Exceed partner as best he could. He hated seeing his best friend cry like this, but there was nothing he could do to change it. His strength was almost gone. Soon, his life would go out.

But he still had one more thing to do.

Natsu turned to look up at Lucy.

"Hey, could you come down here for a sec?" he asked.

Lucy's paused at the request for a moment. Then slowly, she lowered her head down towards Natsu's. Thinking that he was going to whisper something in her ear, she was about to turn her head. However, before she could, Natsu gathered the last of his strength to lean up towards her.

Lucy froze as his lips connected with hers.

Her eyes grew wide, and she caught her breath through her nose. Her heart raced uncontrollably, beating hard against her ribcage. After that brief second of shock, Lucy closed her eye and returned the kiss. She pressed her soft lips a little more against Natsu's, letting the warmth resonating from him to seep through her skin.

Then, she felt him go limp.

Lucy opened her eyes. She looked down at Natsu. His face had lost its color, and his eyes remained closed.

The last thing she heard from him was two words.

"I'm…sorry."

Finally, Natsu fell still and silent. His hand dropped to the ground, and his head rested against Lucy's shoulder.

"Natsu." Lucy whispered.

No response. Lucy's eyes widened in horror, and she began to raise her voice.

"Natsu. Natsu! C'mon, say something! Please wake up!"

Natsu didn't wake up. He had stopped breathing, and already his warmth was leaving him.

Emotional agony and loss squeezed Lucy's heart so hard that it hurt. There was nothing she could do. At last, Lucy's tears broke through and streamed down her face. With a loud sob, she clutched Natsu's lifeless body and held it close to her own. She pressed her forehead against his. Her tears dripped down onto his face.

"NATSU!" she wailed. "NATSU! DON'T DIE! PLEASE, DON'T DIE! PLEASE!"

Gray, who had watched the whole thing, gritted his teeth. All the air in his lungs escaped him, making him feel heavy. He clenched his fists as Lucy's heartbroken sobs and cries struck through him, like he had been the one who had been stabbed by an ice sword.

"Why?" he said in a low voice. "Why did it have to be Natsu? He…He didn't do anything to deserve this."

Zeref lowered his head to look away from the scene before him. For fear that Ankhseram's Curse would take over, he refused to let himself get attached to the emotion of what was going on.

"I guess in the end," he whispered, "not even my own brother could stop me."

"YOU SHUT UP!"

Zeref snapped his head up in surprise. His eyes widened when he saw that Gray had turned around fast and was now scowling at him. At the same time, like Lucy and Happy, Gray had tears flowing down his face. He didn't even feel guilty about the fact that he was openly crying. He was so consumed with sadness and anger that none of it mattered.

"JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!" Gray raged on. "IF YOU HADN'T TRIED TO BRING NATSU BACK TO LIFE, NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE EVER HAPPENED TO HIM! HOW CAN YOU EVEN CALL YOURSELF HIS BROTHER?! WHAT KIND OF BROTHER WOULD RESURRECT THEIR YOUNGER BROTHER AS A DEMON?! WERE YOU REALLY THAT DESPERATE TO DIE THAT YOU WOULD TURN YOUR OWN BROTHER INTO A WEAPON TO KILL YOU, ONLY FOR HIM TO DIE AGAIN?!"

Lucy and Happy heard Gray shouting, but neither one of them looked up at him. All their focus was on the dead Dragon Slayer in the Celestial Wizard's arms. They continued to cry against Natsu, holding onto what was left of him.

Zeref just stared at Gray, unable to speak.

"DID YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT HOW NATSU WOULD FEEL?!" Gray went on, his voice cracking in sorrow. "DID YOU EVEN ASK?! WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO DECIDE ANOTHER PERSON'S FATE?! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN JUST RECREATE LIFE WHEN IT'S BEEN LOST?!"

Gray then fell to his knees and put his face in his elbow. His shoulders heaved as he sobbed and tears fell from his eyes.

"I couldn't save Ur or Ultear!" he said, his voice full of regret. "And I couldn't save Natsu! Why did everything have to get so messed up?! Why did Natsu have to pay the price for your mistakes?!"

Zeref held his breath at that. As much as he tried not to care, his heart couldn't help but tug and tightened at the sight of these three heartbroken people. All of them crying over his brother.

For a moment, Zeref wondered if they loved Natsu more than he did.

The Black Wizard then lowered his head.

"I…" he whispered. "I just wanted to see my brother again. That's all. I don't know why things got out of hand."

"That's no excuse for everything else!" Lucy suddenly spoke up.

Zeref looked up again, this time at the Celestial Wizard. Lucy wasn't looking at Zeref. She still had her forehead against Natsu's, and her bangs were draped over he eyes, hiding them in shadows.

"We all know what it's like to lose loved ones!" Lucy sobbed. "We know the pain! And as much as we want them back, we know they won't come back! Because we're not gods! We can't recreate life! Life can't be recreated; it can only be given! Life is given to us at birth! And those who die for us continue to give us the gift of life! That's why we live on! So we can preserve their memories!"

As Lucy spoke, Zeref's expression slowly began to change from surprised to revelational. Something that she said seemed to turn on some kind of light in his mind that had not been lit before.

 _"Life can't be recreated; it can only be given."_

In that instance, everything became clear to Zeref.

That was it. That's what he was missing all this time. That's why he was cursed by Ankhseram. It was because he didn't understand life itself. True life wasn't Magic. It wasn't something that could be created just by utilizing Ethernano. It was something more. Something born from love, and love alone.

It was then that Zeref realized what he had to do.

With some effort, Zeref got to his feet. Slowly, he began staggered across the floor. Although he past Gray, the Ice Wizard was so consumed by grief that he didn't notice. It was only when Zeref got close to Lucy and Happy that the blond-haired woman became aware of his presence. Lucy snapped her head up to see Zeref approaching her, his eyes locked on the lifeless Natsu.

Fearfully, Lucy clutched Natsu even tighter, holding onto him and wanting to pull him away from the Alvarez Emperor. She didn't care if Natsu was dead, she was still going to keep him from Zeref. The same thing went for Happy. When he noticed Zeref, he stepped in front of Lucy and spread his little arms out in a futile effort to keep the dark wizard at bay.

Zeref sensed Lucy and Happy's apprehension.

"Please," Zeref said with sincerity, walking closer. "Let me…"

"No! Stay back!" Lucy warned. "I won't let you hurt Natsu anymore!"

"Listen to me," Zeref ordered. "Natsu's weakened, but his life light hasn't gone out yet."

That made everyone jolt in surprise. Gray turned around sharply and stared at Zeref, unable to grasp what he just heard.

Zeref reached Lucy and knelt down in front of her.

"Natsu and I have a connection," he explained. "I can sense he still has a little bit of life left. If I hurry, I can save him."

"What are you going to do to him?!" Lucy asked, still holding onto Natsu for dear life.

Zeref hesitated for a second.

Finally, he said, "I'm going to give him my life."

"What?!" Happy gasped, his eyes widening. "Can you really do that?!"

"If I act quickly, then yes." Zeref replied. "I'll use Ankhseram's Curse one last time to destroy the Demon part of him, and then I'll give him my life force."

"But…" Lucy said, "if you do that, won't you…"

"Yes," Zeref nodded, "but as you said, life can't be recreated, it can only be given. I only wished I could've realized that before." Zeref looked up into Lucy's face. "Please, stand back."

Lucy paused for a good five seconds. She didn't want to let Natsu go, nor did she fully trust Zeref. However, in that moment, she realized that if she was ever going to see Natsu alive again, then she had no choice but to trust Zeref.

At last, she consented. She gently laid Natsu down on his back and slowly backed away.

"Lucy?" Happy whimpered.

Lucy didn't say a word, she just gave a glance at Happy and nodded. She then turned to Gray, who was just getting to his feet and getting ready to tackle Zeref away from Natsu. However, Gray stopped when he saw Lucy raise a hand to usher him to stop. He gave her a dumbfounded look, but she held his gaze with a stern and desperate expression. Although he didn't like the idea, Gray stepped back and just watched.

Zeref, looking down at a bloody and demonized Natsu, gave a sad frown. He then reached out and took Natsu left hand. He brought it up to hold in both of his hands.

"Natsu," he said in a low voice, "I'm so sorry for everything. Because of my arrogance and desperation, you've endured so much pain, when I should've left you to rest in peace. All that has happened was caused by events in the past, yet you have suffered the penalty. Please accept this, I pass it to you."

Zeref tightened his grip on Natsu's hand. Then, a black miasma began to form and revolve around the two Dragneels. Lucy, Gray and Happy scrambled back and away from it to avoid getting caught in its grip. As they did, however, they all began to feel something strange. This wasn't like the miasma that Zeref had released before. There was no mindless killing intention.

It was something different. And it seemed to be wavering between ebony black and golden yellow, like it was trying to purify itself.

At the same time, a change was coming over Natsu. Through the Magic mist, Lucy could see the demonic features on Natsu disintegrating. His wings seemed to be turning into sand and were being swept away by the wind Zeref's Magic, his claws were morphing back into normal human hands, the scales on his body were turning back into flesh, and the horns on his head were disappearing.

The wound in Natsu's belly began to close up, not even leaving so much as a scar. His internal organs and muscles that had been damaged regenerated like nothing had happened to them.

As that was going on, Gray heard a strange sound, like paper burning. He turned his head sharply to his left. Lying wide open on the floor just a few yards away was the book of E.N.D. Only now, the book looked like it was on fire. But it wasn't normal fire. The flames were pure white, and they were slowly eating away at the binding and pages of the book.

A familiar groan made the Ice Wizard turn his attention back. Lucy's hands shot up over her mouth, and her eyes widened with hope.

Natsu was moving again. His chest began to rise and fall steadily as he breathed, and his face winced as his consciousness slowly returned to him.

Finally, Natsu opened his eyes. His vision was blurry, but he could just make out a fuzzy image of a person leaning over him. After blinking a few times, Natsu's world finally came into focus, and he found himself staring straight up into Zeref's face.

"Zeref?" he groaned.

"Natsu." Zeref replied.

"What…what's going on?" Natsu asked. "What are you doing?"

Zeref looked away, avoiding eye-contact with his younger brother.

After that moment of silence, Zeref spoke again.

"Please, Natsu," he said. "Please just live. I know that…"

Zeref didn't get to finish his sentence. For at that moment, Natsu found the strength to reach out with his right hand and grab his older brother by his wrist, making him let go of Natsu's hand. Zeref, stunned, watched as Natsu slowly sat up so that he was eye-level with him. He kept his fierce grip on the Black Wizard, and scowled at him.

"Just stop!" Natsu demanded. "Don't bring me back to life just so I can kill you! If that's all you want me to do, then just let me die! I'm not going to be your salvation!"

Zeref narrowed his eyes.

"I'm not doing this for me," he said with sincerity. "I'm doing this for you. I'm giving you my own life so that you can live."

Natsu gave a surprised expression. Zeref's face softened as tears began to form in his eyes.

"I know I wasn't a great brother to you," he said guiltily. "In fact, I was the worst. I should've never turned you into E.N.D. But…I want to make things right. I know I can't erase my mistakes, nor can I take back the suffering that others have endured because of my own selfishness, but I want to at least make it up to you. And besides, I know that a lot of people will be sad if you're gone."

Zeref looked back Natsu. Natsu followed his gaze and looked over his shoulder. He caught his breath when he saw Lucy sitting a few feet away from him. What's more, he saw tears trailing down her cheeks, and her eyes were filled with a king of longing.

His gut wrenched when he saw that. He hated seeing Lucy cry. And she had been crying because of his death.

She didn't want to lose him.

And not just her, Happy, Gray, and everyone in Fairy Tail didn't want to lose him.

Natsu then turned back to Zeref. Although Natsu had seen Zeref cry before, he didn't care much about it. That is until now. Zeref's tears stuck a sympathetic cord in Natsu. The moment Zeref let them stream down his face, Natsu felt a pang of remorse. His expression changed from hatred and resentment to compassion.

All at once, he hated seeing Zeref cry.

"Please, Natsu." Zeref pleaded. "Accept this gift I give you. Let me be an older brother to you, one last time."

There was a moment of silence.

Finally, Natsu loosened his grip on Zeref's wrist. He moved his hand up so that he could grasp his brother's. Zeref blinked in surprise and turned his head up to look at Natsu. Natsu had lowered his head, making his bangs cover his eyes. However, Zeref could see Natsu's mouth trembling a bit.

"I remember everything." Natsu said, his voice low and shaky. "I remember when we were kids. I remember all the times we spent together. Both good and bad. You…you were always there for me. You never gave up on me, even when I was a pain in the ass. We were always together."

A single tear left Natsu's eye. The Dragon Slayer then tensed, making his breathing stagger.

"As much as I've hate what you've done," he admitted, "I also understand why you did it. I know what it's like to lose your family. And how much it hurts just to want them back. I can't say I hate you for what you've done to me. Because I can't bring myself to hate you."

Zeref breathed in slowly at that.

"Natsu."

"And if you hadn't done what you did," Natsu continued, "I never would've joined Fairy Tail. I never would've met all my friends, and all those people special to me. It's because of you, I got to meet them, and share my life with them. That's why I can't hate you."

Natsu lifted his head to look Zeref straight in the eye and smiled. Zeref stared at Natsu, feeling hopeful.

"I can't forget what you've done," Natsu said as the rest of his tears escaped his eyes, "but…you're still my brother. That isn't going to change, not ever. And I can forgive you. I forgive you, Zeref."

Those were the most beautiful words that Zeref could've ever hope to hear from his little brother. That simple act of forgiveness filled the void in the young man's heart that had existed for so long. For the first time in a long time, Zeref felt whole and complete. The emptiness was gone.

And the curse was broken.

"Thank you, Natsu." Zeref smiled gratefully.

Finally, the Dragneel brothers moved in and wrapped their arms around each other in a fierce embrace. It was the last embrace they would ever share in this life.

As they did, the black miasma turned into a pure golden light that swirled around the two of them. Zeref continued to transfer his life force into Natsu, and Natsu's Demon form washed way completely, making him human once again.

It was then that Zeref began to glow as golden as the light surrounding him and Natsu. With the last of his existence, he lifted his head to look at Lucy. Lucy straightened herself as he made eye-contact with her.

"Thank you so much for everything." Zeref said to the young woman. "All I ask is that you please look after Natsu for me."

Lucy blinked at that request before giving a thankful smile.

"I will," she promised.

Zeref nodded gratefully, and hugged his dear younger brother one last time.

"And tell everyone in Fairy Tail I said thank you," he said. "I know I can leave Natsu in your hands. And thank you, Natsu, for giving me a second chance. I wish you the best of luck. This is good-bye."

As Zeref said those words, he slowly began to fade away.

"Good-bye, brother." Natsu whispered as he felt Zeref disappearing. "And thank you."

With those final words, and with a smile on his face, Zeref vanished completely. At last, his soul, tortured by the hardships of an immortal life, was free to move on.

At the same time, the book of E.N.D. burned away. Not even leaving ashes behind.

Yet Natsu still lived. His curse had been wiped clean from him. He was human once again.

For a while, Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Happy just sat in the silence, absorbing the events that had just unfolded. Natsu folded his arms over his front, as if still holding to the spirit that Zeref had left behind. His tears still dripped down his face, but he didn't sob. He just cried in silence.

Then, Natsu turned his head up to look up at the heavens. He stared blankly for a second or two before smiling.

"Wherever you are, Zeref," he whispered, "I hope you're finally at peace."

* * *

Zeref slowly opened his onyx-colored eyes. A sweet, gentle breeze swept over him as he found himself staring up at a beautiful azure sky with big puffy clouds traveling across. He soon realized that he was lying in a field of golden grass.

Zeref sat up and looked around. All around him was a golden plain.

"Was that all a dream?" he asked himself.

Zeref got to his feet and was about to take his first step, when a voice called out,

"Hey, Big Brother!"

Zeref stopped. He knew that voice.

He turned around quickly and saw four figures standing on top of a hill just behind him. At first, he just stared at them with confusion.

"C'mon, what are you waiting for?!" one of the figures called. A voice that sounded like it belonged to a young boy.

"Come and join us!" another one of the figures called. This one belonged to a young girl.

As Zeref looked at the figures, the two that had called out to him became clearer. Zeref's eyes widened and he inhaled with joyous surprise.

It was his little brother, Natsu, looking exactly the way he did over four hundred years ago. And beside him was Mavis, smiling that bright smile that Zeref had fallen in love with many years ago.

The young Natsu ran down the slope towards his brother with Mavis following him. When Natsu reached Zeref, he laughed as he jumped up and hugged him around the neck, making Zeref stagger a bit before catching him in his arms. Mavis ran up and took one of Zeref's hands.

"C'mon!" she encouraged. "We still have adventures ahead of us!"

Zeref stood where he was. No words could describe what he was feeling. It was indescribable.

All Zeref could do was smile.

"Yeah, you're right," he said.

"Then let's go!" little Natsu said. "Our adventures await!"

After getting little Natsu secured in one arm, Zeref let Mavis pull him along as the two of them ran up the hill towards the remaining members that had come to welcome Zeref home, which were none other than his mother and father. They had not changed since the incident with the Dragon long ago. They welcomed their elder son with loving smiles and warm embraces.

Nothing was going to take those smiles away from any of them now.

Their never-ending adventures had just begun.

At long last, Zeref had come home.

* * *

 **Oh my gosh, I must've gone through fifty or more Kleenexes just writing this alone. And listening to "Eternal Friends" the whole time didn't help things either. But it was worth it. I seriously hope this happens. It would be such a tear-jerker moment. Zeref is finally at peace and is reunited with those he had lost, and Natsu gets to live on with his friends.**

 **Now all that's left is Acnologia.**

 **Oh, I should make a prediction about that, too. But I'll save that for another time.**

 **Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this, and I hope to bring you more entertainment in the future.**

 **Thank you again for reading this. I really appreciate it.**

 **Have a Good Day.**


End file.
